The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), the largest, most influential event for the grain-based food industry, has announced an expanded educational program highlighting the latest techniques and proven strategies for streamlining retail operations, improving product quality and increasing profits.

Held October 8–11, 2016, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, IBIE 2016 has added more than 20 new seminars focusing on the most relevant issues facing the industry today and features expanded content for retailers. The education program now includes more than 90 sessions designed for professionals of all levels and backgrounds; many companies bring their entire teams to train every employee on role-specific strategies for running a more profitable business.

This year’s speakers are successful retail bakers who’ve created thriving businesses; notable names include Roland & Marsha Winbeckler, Ruth Rickey, John Lupo and Julie Bashore. The education program begins on October 7, the day before the Baking Expo™ opens, with RPIA’s Business of Baking for Beginners seminar (for bakers with less than 5 years of experience) and the Tortilla Industry Association’s two-day Technical and Management Conference. Throughout the event, celebrity chefs and bakers will also be conducting free demos right on the show floor.

Seminars are organized into targeted tracks: Retail, Retail Hands-on (Cake & Pastry Decorating), Bread Bakers Guild of America, Sales & Marketing, Management, AIB Technical, International, Ingredients & Processes and Food Safety & Sanitation. Sessions are held daily from 8:30 a.m. to Noon and in the evening to give attendees plenty of time to explore the latest innovations exhibited on the Expo floor. Highlighted topics include:

  • Texturing Techniques in Fondant and Modeling Chocolate
  • The Secrets of Successfully writing and Piping on Cakes
  • 2-D Sculpted Cakes
  • Easy Edible Lace & Wafer Paper Flower
  • Cake Sculpture with Internal Frame
  • Tips, Tricks, Gadgets and Interesting Factoids for the Professional Baker
  • There’s Money in the Air: Airbrush Techniques Class
  • The Future of Wholesale Baking with Marijuana
  • Mid-Year Consumer Update with Todd Hale
  • Closing the Workforce Gap

“We take pride in creating a world-class educational program that provides the knowledge and insights critical to running a profitable wholesale operation,” says Andrea Henderson, IBIE committee member and Education Task Force Chair. “For more than a year, we’ve worked with industry partners and key stakeholders to put together the most comprehensive, in-depth program yet—one that’s highly relevant for all employees at every level, from management to R&D, from bakery owner to the line worker.”

The IBIE 2016 education program is backed by key industry organizations including AIB International, American Bakers Association, American Society of Baking, Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA), Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers Association, Bread Bakers Guild of America, Global Cold Chain Alliance, Grain Foods Foundation, Retail Bakers of America, the RPIA Group and the Tortilla Industry Association.

For more information about the 2016 IBIE education program and to view the seminar schedule, visit www.IBIE2016.com/education.

To register for IBIE 2016, visit www.IBIE2016.com.

About IBIE

Sponsored by the American Bakers Association (ABA), the Baking Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA) and the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), IBIE is recognized worldwide as the grain-based food industry’s premier trade event. A “working show,” where millions of dollars of business is conducted daily, IBIE brings the entire professional baking community together, offering the complete range of equipment, supply and ingredient solutions and showcasing the newest baking technology in over 700,000 square feet. Since its inception, IBIE continually strives to advance the baking industry through comprehensive access to innovative products from leading manufacturers and suppliers, and provide the common ground for collaboration amongst professionals in the field. IBIE is a not-for-profit organization, where proceeds are invested back into the industry.

The triennial event will next be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 8-11, 2016. To learn more about IBIE, visit http://www.IBIE2016.com.

Attendees include employees of: wholesale bakeries, suppliers and distributors; supermarket chains, central bakeries and commissaries; supermarket in-store bakeries; multi-store and single unit retail bakeries; intermediate wholesale bakeries; donut, pie and cookie retailers; cake and cupcake shops; foodservice operators; tortilla producers; snack food producers; biscuit & cracker producers.

Exhibitors include manufacturers and suppliers of: baking/food equipment and systems; ingredients, flavorings, spices & fillings; ingredient handling systems; packaging materials & systems; technology; sanitation equipment; transportation & distribution equipment; refrigeration equipment; business services.